Ole Gunnar Solskjaer could have a big decision to make when it comes to Paul Pogba’s future at Old Trafford. The constant transfer speculation surrounding him has become a distraction, so it might make sense to move him on.
It’s also worth noting that the emergence of Fred has made a real difference to the midfield. When he arrived he was expected to provide energy and dynamism to the team, but he looked so far out of his depth until recently. He’s started to show signs of a solid partnership with Scott McTominay and they won big games against Spurs and Man City.
Whether United would be better off without Pogba remains to be seen, he’s still the most talented player in the team when fit and he could make a huge difference if he plays well.
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Spanish outlet Eldesmarque have linked Real Madrid with another move for the Frenchman, and it seems they are planning a swap deal rather than an outright cash offer. They suggest the players on offer would be Gareth Bale and James Rodriguez.
It’s a move that could make sense for United, but only if they feel they don’t need Pogba anymore. Rodriguez would provide an obvious upgrade on Jesse Lingard so that would make sense, but Gareth Bale’s addition could disrupt the forward line.
It could be a fine balancing act for Solskjaer to get right, the front three of Rashford, James and Martial has shown signs of promise but all three have a history of injuries. Bale’s arrival could reduce Daniel James to an impact sub/backup role, but at least the team would have some depth to deal with injuries in the future.
At this point it still just looks like paper talk, it’s easy to start throwing names around when it comes to a big transfer. Bale and Rodriguez would also go against the type of signing that the club has made recently, but they could help elevate this team of youngsters to the next level.